with the hearings coming up next week, this could be explosive. >> reporter: it could be a big deal. absolutely right, elizabeth. after the attack in benghazi, one of the big questions is, did the obama administration recognize the deteriorating security situation in libya? and did they do everything to protect personnel in that country? abc news has obtained this e-mail from the security department in may. that a request for a security support team, about 16 special forces soldiers, to keep a small airplane, a dc-3, to get around more easily, especially with all of the weapons, was rejected, elizabeth. >> how is the state department reacted to whether or not proper security and teams were given to the state department in libya? >> reporter: the state department says it was not a big deal. commercial flights were available at the time. and it says there's no evidence that the absence of this airplane had any affect on what happened in september. but the house, which will be holding hearings, says it's part of a pattern of officials in washington, denying requests from ambassador stev